Supernatural Bonds
by psychoticxpixie
Summary: Melanie Stone was just a normal girl, until the day she had her life saved by a passing Dragonite and by some unexplained phenomena was granted the power to read the mind of any Pokemon she comes in contact with.
1. Dragonite

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Pokemon. But that's fine by me cause I wouldn't want to be associated with the sorry excuse of a show it's turned into anyway. It was amazing back in the 90's; anything past gen. 2 is pretty much crap. Can I get a what what? Hahaha :p

**AN:** Ahem, I don't know if anyone remembers me as I haven't written anything in forever and even then all I did was yaoi Naruto stories. But for those of you that do remember, I'm back! And I do have some Naruto song fics and one shots in the works, along with an Alice in Wonderland (the 2010 version, if you haven't seen it yet, go NOW) story on its way, so be on the lookout. Hahaha oh and if you couldn't tell by the disclaimer, don't expect to find any Pokemon past the 2nd generation in this story, cause you will be highly disappointed.

**Chapter One: Dragonite.**

I was sitting on my porch staring into the open space, just thinking, as I waited patiently for my mom to return from the store. There was a light breeze on my face, and it was the perfect antidote to the hot, summer air. All of a sudden the sky started darkening as the rainclouds rolled in. It was just a light drizzle at first; enough to be audible as it hit the roof, the ground, the grass, the leaves on the trees. But it increased quickly, settling in at a steady rainfall, straight down and drenching everything in sight.

I watched the drops and listened to the peaceful sound of their collisions with the ground for a few minutes before the urge kicked in. I wanted to leap off the porch and into the rain, letting it fall over me. I wanted to feel it seeping through my clothes, drenching my hair, trickling down my body, seemingly taking all my problems with it. Not that I had many problems anyway. Life was stable and average right now; I had a nice little group of friends, we'd never been a rich family but we were okay on money, my grades were good, and there wasn't any boy drama in my life ever since I dumped my jerk of an ex boyfriend a few months ago. There wasn't much for me to be upset about, except for the fact that I was pretty sure my mom was seeing someone and that just made me miss my dad more than I have in long time. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and I want her to be happy. I don't have a problem with her dating, I just wish she'd tell me about it. And I just wish it didn't make me remember when my dad was still here.

I pictured his face in my mind. His strong jaw and angled nose; deep-set eyes with wrinkles around them to show his age and the wisdom that came with it. His familiar head of dark, curly hair and his smile that stretched to his eyes, emphasizing his wrinkles even more. He wasn't that old when he left, in his mid 40s. I wondered what he'd look like now, in his 50s. He was my best friend. I remember following him around all the time, completely fascinated with his work. He used to breed Dratini; sometimes evolving them all the way to Dragonite.

_People want Dragonite, you know, _I remember him saying,_ They're a good, strong, smart Pokemon. Lots of families keep them around the house to help with chores and also for protection. Trainers like them, too. If a trainer has a Dragonite, people know not to take them lightly. It takes a strong person to train a Dragonite._

My dad was a strong person. I could watch him train for hours on end. He knew exactly what he was doing; even when things got tough, he would always make a comeback and win the battle. One of the most amazing things I'd ever seen was when he trained a Dratini to the point that it evolved into a Dragonair. _Graceful, isn't it?_ My dad's voice echoed in my head.

I used to resent him for leaving. I hated him for the longest time. Having to watch my mother, depressed and robot-like for almost a year. Hearing her cry herself to sleep at night. My naive, child mind could only muster up the feeling of hatred, because I missed him so much, I saw that my mother did too, and didn't know why he would leave. As I got older I began to blame myself. I thought maybe I did something wrong to drive him away. Was I too clingy? Did he grow annoyed of my presence? Maybe he just hated me and was tired of pretending he didn't. And then last year, when I finally reached the (sort of) mature age of 16, only then did I realize it wasn't my fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. My dad just wasn't happy here anymore. Could I really blame him for leaving, if that's what he had to do to be happy?

Usually rain was something I avoided, but today I just couldn't resist. Thinking about him only made me want to be out in the rain even more, so I stood up, and before I could stop myself I was out in the middle of the yard and my clothes were soaked through. I walked down the street for a while, just concentrating on each step. Then I closed my eyes, tilted my head up to the sky and felt the drops hit my face, letting them wash away all thoughts of my father and how things used to be. I was wrapped up in loosing myself to the rain that when I heard the deafening crack of thunder, I thought nothing of it.

My eyes were closed so I didn't see anything, but I heard the static in the air and felt the heat of the lightning bolt almost directly next to me. I also felt something hit my side really hard, knocking the breath out of me, and the next thing I knew, my thoughts were gone and I had blacked out.

---

_I hope she's okay,_ I heard a peculiar voice say, and for some reason I saw my face behind the dark of my closed eyelids. I studied the shape of it; long and almost angular like my father's, but with high cheekbones but enough chub on it that I didn't look malnourished or manly. I saw my long, wavy brown hair, falling in soft billows just past my shoulders. I could clearly see every freckle scattered across the bridge of my nose and on my cheeks, and it was like I was actually staring into my own deep green eyes. I was faintly aware that I was being carried, but these arms didn't feel right. They were too big, too smooth, and too strong to be... well, human. _I hope I saved her in time. She's so pretty. I like this girl. Maybe she'll let me stay with her._

Slowly, my eyes fluttered open and I was staring into the curious eyes of a Dragonite. It took me a second to wrap my brain around it. What had happened to me? Why was I being carried by a giant dragon Pokemon? I tried to remember but I couldn't. All I could recall was walking in the rain, then blackness, and now this. The thought of the rain made me notice that my clothes were mostly dry. How long had I been out?

_She's awake!_ I heard the unfamiliar voice again, and the Dragonite cocked its head to the side. _Are you okay? _the voice asked at the same time the Dragonite gave a little moan.

"Am I... yeah, I think so." I answered, thinking it was only half-true. Physically, I felt fine. Mentally, I was confused. Where was that voice coming from? "Can you put me down?" I requested, and it did, gently placing my feet on the ground in front of it. I looked around for a second, finding that the rain had stopped and it was sunny again. I didn't see anyone around; we were smack in the middle of a forest. There wasn't even a trail.

"Thanks," I said, looking back up into the eyes of the Dragonite.

_Well, she can form complete sentences. That's a good sign. She must be okay,_ the strange voice said while the Dragonite smiled simultaneously.

"You're talking to me!" I shouted, pointing a finger in its face, then bringing my hand back to my head to run my fingers through my hair. "Oh my God, I can hear you."

_Huh?_ It cocked its head to the side.

"I can hear you. Your... thoughts, I think. You sound... your voice is different than a human's, but I can hear it in my head, loud and clear." I explained, chuckling weakly at how crazy I sounded.

_Oh really? Then what's my name?_ It challenged, and I heard the follow-up thought too.

"Ringo?" I asked, "Like the Beatle?"

_That's right... _He thought, raising his eyebrows as his eyes widened slightly in shock. _You CAN read my mind._

Holy shit, that's crazy. No. There's no way this was happening. I could hear the thoughts of a Dragonite? I must be dead. I probably got struck by lightning or something and now my mom was crying over my lifeless body. I almost felt sad for a second, until I had a thought; this couldn't be heaven. Why would heaven be a place exactly like home except I had the power to hear a Dragonite's thoughts? That made no sense. But it couldn't be hell either; surely I hadn't done anything worthy of that. So maybe I did get hit by lighting, and I was just in the hospital in a deep coma. I closed my eyes and concentrated on waking up. I thought thoughts of my mom and friends crying, wishing me to wake up and come back, hoping that would be enough to will me awake. When I opened my eyes, Ringo was staring at me with one eyebrow raised, his head cocked to the side, and curiosity in his eyes.

_Are you SURE you're okay? _He questioned doubfully.

"Please tell me I haven't lost my mind and that this is some kind of psychic power that all Dragonite can learn." I begged, dreading the answer I knew in the pit of my stomach was coming.

_'Fraid not._ He confirmed, nodding his head sympathetically. I groaned, rolling my head back then bringing it forward and placing it in my palms. If this was true... how did this gift work? Was it temporary? Was it just the mind of this Dragonite I could read, or was it all of them? Or worse... what if it was all Pokemon? I had to test it.

"I need to find another Pokemon." I announced after a lengthy pause. I lifted my face out of my hands and looking up at Ringo. "Something besides Dragonite. Do you know where there's one nearby?"

_I'm sure there's somebody around, _He affirmed, then added,_ I could look with you if you want._

I considered that for a moment. Since it was clearly Ringo's voice I'd been hearing in my half-conscious state, it must have also been him who was wishing he could stay with me. I couldn't send him away, even if I'd wanted to. He was lonely, I needed help, and it was kind of comforting to have such a big, powerful Pokemon by side. And I had to admit, he was adorable. His big, black eyes bore into mine, pleading with me. On top of all that, I'd always had a healthy admiration towards Dragonite thanks to my father. _They're an easy Pokemon to love,_ I remembered him telling me once.

"I would love for you to come along." I answered honestly, and we set off into the forest.

_Can I stay?_ He asked. _I like you. I haven't had a trainer in a long time._

"I'm not a trainer." I mentioned, looking up into his eyes. "But I would like to have you around. If you want to stay, you're more than welcome."

_You're not a trainer?_ He asked, _Why not?_

"I never got into it, really. My dad was a breeder, so I mostly helped him with that. I remember there was a time when I did want to be a trainer. Travel the world, see new Pokemon... but when he died, I just kind of lost myself for a while." I explained. I noticed that it was much easier for me to open up to Ringo than it had ever been with people. I momentarily wondered why that was, and decided to chalk it up to the natural charisma that surrounded Pokemon. They were _all_ easy to love.

_Who says it's too late to find yourself again?_ He implored.

I honestly had to think about that for a minute. He was right. My dad had been gone for nearly 10 years, and even though I thought about him and missed him every day, I was way past the point of grieving. I went to school, I had friends, I had a life. It would probably kill my mom if I decided to be a breeder, but that's okay because I didn't really want to follow in my dad's footsteps anyway. Why not become a trainer? What better Pokemon to start with than a Dragonite? And if this mind reading thing worked for all Pokemon, maybe it would be a good thing. It would help me connect with my Pokemon better, if I could talk to them like I would a person.

"No one." I finally answered, and when Ringo didn't have a direct answer, I knew he understood that I was seriously considering it. He was thinking of me and him together, as a team. I saw us in battle, me yelling commands and him, happy to oblige. We were unstoppable, and it was an inspiring, uplifting, exciting feeling.

"So how'd you end up with the name Ringo?" I asked, distracting him so I would be able to think it over without his influence.

_My first trainer was a big Beatles fan, _He told me. _I know all their songs. He used to play them around me all the time. John was his favorite, but he loved Ringo's name. And I was his first Pokemon. Back when I was just a little Dratini he used to tell me all the time, 'Don't you love that name? Ringo Starr. That's who you're named after. Don't ever forget__ it'._ It was weird, but somehow I could feel a little of his pain when he spoke of his first trainer. I imagined it was much deeper than I would've thought possible for a Pokemon, and decided it was best not to pry as of now. We would have plenty of time together, whether I wanted to be a trainer or not._  
_

"I like The Beatles too." I related, smiling. He returned the gesture and we walked in silence again for a minute.

_I don't know your name. _He thought at me.

"It's Melanie." I told him.

_Pretty._ He commented. It would've sounded patronizing coming from anyone else, but I could tell from the tone of his thoughts that it was genuine.

"Thanks." I grinned softly. Then I heard another voice, different from Ringo's, but still clearly inhuman.

_Boy oh boy, I'm almost there. I thought I would never reach the top of this tree, but here I am. That berry is so close, and it's all mine. I can practically taste it now. _ My stomach dropped. I didn't think there was a chance that another Dragonite would be around these parts, especially not by itself in the middle of the forest, and certainly not climbing a tree for a berry.

"Wait." I said, stopping and looking around. Ringo did the same. "I can hear another Pokemon. It's... crawling up a tree. From the view I'm getting, it's small. I would guess a Caterpie or a Weedle."

Ringo sniffed the air, and then motioned towards a tree about 5 feet away. _I see it._

Sure enough, there was a bright green Caterpie in plain sight, climbing a couple inches away from a juicy Oran berry. I sighed. I was positive that my strange powers stretched to all Pokemon now, and for a second it worried me. This could be a bad thing. I would have to walk around for who knows how long, hearing voices in my head. As if I wouldn't already sound psycho if I told people I could read thoughts, let alone the thoughts of Pokemon. They would have me committed. I tried to concentrate on it being a positive thing, and held myself together.

"What happened to me?" I asked Ringo, this time trying to distract myself. "All I remember is waking up with you carrying me."

_You really don't remember? _He questioned, and I shook my head. _I was on my way back home. It's in a cave on a cliff not too far from here. I've seen you before; I fly by you a lot when you're out walking. It was stormy out and I was rushing, but I saw you standing near the edge of the forest, and I saw a bolt of lightning strike the tree you were standing by. It was going to fall on you, so I swooped down and knocked you out of the way. When you didn't wake up, I got really worried. I thought I might have hurt you. I didn't know what to do because I wasn't sure where you lived, so I just walked around for a while hoping you would wake up. Thankfully you did.  
_

For a second, I was dumbfounded. I almost got crushed to death by a tree, and he had saved my life out of the goodness of his heart. Not only that, but he had worried about me, and stayed with me while I was unconscious to make sure I was okay. I felt so grateful I could cry.

"You saved my life?" I asked, my voice cracking as I tried to restrain the waterworks that threatened to escape. I told myself to calm down, but it didn't work. I couldn't find a legit reason to stay calm. I was suddenly so grateful to be alive. I was grateful that I'd decided to go out in the rain, so that I had the opportunity to be saved by this pure soul of a Pokemon. I was grateful that he'd saved me, grateful that I was still here. I let the tears stream down my face for just a few minutes.

_You're sad?_ He pressed, his forehead creasing with worry. _I'm sorry, did I upset you?_

"No, no." I laughed, looking up at him as I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand. I beckoned him closer with my finger, and he bent over so that his face was level with mine. I took his face in between my hands and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm just so _happy_. Thank you, Ringo. Thank you so much. I'm glad I met you."

_I'm glad too,_ He grinned this time, so big it reached his eyes and made them almost shut. I couldn't help but think that he looked so adorable, and I wrapped my arms around him in a big hug. He returned it, lifting me off the ground and pulling me tight to his chest. I laughed again, and even though I'd only met him an hour ago I knew in that moment that we were inseparable.

"Do you think we could find my house from here?" I asked as he set me down again.

_Yes. I think I know where it is, but I'm not sure because I've never actually seen you come out of it. I don't know which direction, but we could fly._ He suggested, bending down again so that his back was closer for me to climb on. _If we were in the air, it would be easy to see._

I beamed. If there was thing in this world I'd always wanted to do, it was ride on the back of a Dragonite. I saw my father do it a few times, but he never wanted to let me. He said it was too dangerous because I didn't know how to control them. I was so young, and since there were so many Dragonite around he never really built a strong enough connection with any of them to trust them with me. Excitedly, I threw one of my legs over his back and wrapped my arms around his neck.

_Hang on tight, _He told me, right before launching himself in the air. Instinctively, my eyes shut tight. I felt the wind whipping my my face and tangling my hair, and I pressed myself closer to Ringo's warm, smooth skin. In a matter of seconds, he stopped. But I still felt the flapping of his wings next to me, so I opened my eyes to see what was going on. I didn't have to look down to know that we were really high. All I could see was the blue sky, interrupted here and there with little tufts of white. The forest was far enough below us that it just looked like a thick blanket of green.

_Is it the white one with a black roof, red shutters on the window, and a stone path leading to the porch?_ He asked.

"Yes, that's it!" I laughed, feeling giddy and lightheaded. I sat up a little, enough that I was still holding on but could get the full effect of what was happening. I was really here right now in this moment, hanging on to the back of a Dragonite that was already a better friend to me than most of the people I'd known my entire life. It was crazy how much things had chanced since this morning. One minute I was taking a therapeutic walk in the rain, and the next I was on the back of my favorite Pokemon, reading its mind.

As Ringo sped up and practically dove down towards the house, I made my life-altering decision.

I was going to be a Pokemon trainer.

---

**AN:** Yaaay. I had so much fun writing this! Reviews are loved, constructive criticism welcomed. (:


	2. Underfox

**Disclaimer:** You know the deal.

**AN:** I probably should've mentioned this in the first chapter, but please realize that this story is not going to be completely accurate. It is set in the Kanto region, and there will be Pokemon in this story that aren't found in the wild there, and some Pokemon will be met outside of their usual "areas" too. Oh and once again I apologize for any mistakes.

**Chapter Two: Underfox.**

"A Dragonite, Melanie?" My mom asked with her hands on her hips as I stood in front of her on the porch. "Really? Of all Pokemon? Are you _trying_ to remind me of your father?" My mom and I had an okay relationship after my dad left, but since it was just the two of us we sometimes got sick of each other. This was one of those times. Just the way she said it pissed me off. I understood she was hurting, but it had been long enough. I missed him too, but not to the point that I got upset at the sight of anything that reminded me of him. My hair was dirty and tangled, my clothes were wrinkled and dusty, and she hadn't even bothered to ask why I looked like such a mess.

"Yeah mom I'm fine, thanks for asking. I've only been gone for like more than half the day without contacting you at all. Oh, and this dirt all over my clothes and in my hair? Yeah, that's totally normal. I'll just go wash it off and pretend nothing happened. You go right ahead and just keep bitching over the past." I snapped, pushing my way past her and motioning to Ringo to do the same. He just stood there, staring at me.

_She doesn't like me?_ He thought, his forehead creasing.

"Excuse me, young lady?" She raised her voice, "I'm your mother! Don't you dare talk to me like that!"

"He saved my life, mom." I blurted, defending Ringo. And then I explained the story, leaving out the parts about how I could suddenly read the minds of Pokemon. I'd already decided that it would be between me and my Pokemon. Any normal human would've put me in the loony bin.

She listened patiently to everything and in the end she didn't even have a problem with me becoming a trainer, which is where I anticipated the trouble. I expected her to start yelling and crying about me leaving her, a few comparisons to my father, and her trying to ground me and keep me here forever. Instead she just smiled and said, "That's great honey," then went on to ask about when I was planning on leaving and if I needed any help getting stuff together. I told her it would be nice, and she helped me by finding me a backpack. She filled it with a couple changes of clothes and my toiletries, along with money to buy the trainer essentials like some Pokeballs and items to treat my Pokemon with, including enough extra that I would be set for a while on food an anything else I needed. It was almost too easy. Her new boyfriend must have been more comforting than I thought. The night before I left, I decided to ask about him.

"Mom, are you seeing someone?" I questioned carefully, staring intently at her face to detect any sign of a false note in case she tried to lie. She was silent for a few moments before finally letting out a deep sigh.

"I should have known you'd notice." She chuckled lightly. "Yes, I am. His name is Blaine. He's wonderful to me." She admitted, sounding much like a school girl with her first crush. I let it go after that, only giving her a small smile in response. The name rang a dim bell, but I figured if she ever cared enough about him to let him meet me, she'd make it happen.

Traveling with Ringo was even easier than telling my mom I was leaving; both facts that had made me smile in secret satisfaction. I knew I'd been making the right decision if everything was going so well. Although smarter than most, Ringo was still a Pokemon so his thoughts weren't naturally so complex unless he was thinking directly at me. We mostly walked together in silence, and I drifted in and out of his brain as I pleased. He didn't seem to mind or even notice, as his thoughts were mostly about a pretty flower, tree, or interesting rock we'd pass every now and then, or excitement about the journey ahead of us. Sometimes he would think a question towards me, and it would start a conversation that usually ended in laughter or one of those tender movie moments where the soft music plays and the audience goes "awww".

Things were pretty uneventful until one day just outside of Pewter City where I heard a small, unfamiliar Pokemon voice nearby. We'd passed through Viridian a couple days ago but had to continue on as the Gym leader wasn't in at the moment and as a citizen said, probably wouldn't be for a while.

_Oh no oh no oh no,_ The voice said, full of worry and despair. I saw the mental image of a Ninetails in my head, backed up by more uneasy thoughts. _I really lost her. She's gone. I can't find her anywhere. Where am I? Nothing looks familiar. This isn't my home. I'm scared. What if someone finds me out here? I'm just one tiny Vulpix. There are Pokemon out here that are a lot bigger and stronger than me. I'll never survive.  
_

"Ringo," I pronounced, stopping in the road and looking around. He did the same. "I hear something. A Vulpix. It's lost."

_Can you tell where?_ He asked, sniffing the air.

"Let me try." My powers were still new, and even though it had been a few days I was still just learning how to use them. I concentrated on the voice and tried to clear my mind of all other thoughts.

_Okay, calm down Rose. You're going to be fine. Just... look for some shelter. No one will bother you if you're hidden._ The same voice said; she must be talking herself through her crisis situation. Instead of her thoughts, I tried to focus on seeing through her eyes. Surprisingly, it worked like a charm and I could see exactly where she was headed. She ducked into a bush that was close to her and stuck her head out of the other side for just a second to see what was there. Through her eyes I saw Ringo and I standing on the road about ten feet away from her. I concentrated on her thoughts again.

_Oh no! I think they saw me! That Dragonite is huge! He'll crush me! And that trainer probably wants to catch me. I can't let her do that! I'll never find my mommy! What do I do? Should I run? Maybe I should just stay hidden and hope they go away. _

Instantly, I felt sympathy for the little Vulpix. I wanted to scoop her up in my arms and comfort her and tell her everything would be okay.

"She's just ahead of us," I told Ringo, "Did you see her stick her head out of the bush? She's scared. She thinks you want to hurt her and she thinks I want to capture her. She doesn't want me to because apparently she's lost her mother."

_What do we do?_ He thought, worry creasing his forehead. I loved how genuinely caring he was; more than anyone I knew. How many people would find someone in danger and just know they had to help? There was no consideration in his thoughts, just the raw concentration on helping the poor thing. _We can't just leave her there. If she's lost we should help her find her mom. But how, when she's already scared of us?_

"I think you should stay here for a minute." I said. Of course I didn't want to leave him; it would be the first time we'd been apart for any amount of time since the accident. But I figured if I could prove to her that I could read her mind and let her know I wasn't going to hurt her, she'd let us help. And she was clearly more afraid of Ringo than me. "You're pretty big, and she seems a little more afraid of you than me. I'll talk to her and let her know you're safe, and then we can help her find her mom."

Ringo nodded, and made a show of planting his feet on the ground, indicating he would be right there when I came back. I walked slowly towards the Vulpix, listening intently to her mind the whole time.

_She's getting closer! Oh no, what do I do?! Wait, why did she leave her Dragonite behind if she's coming to catch me?_

"Because I can hear your thoughts." I answered her aloud, and I felt the shock in her mind. "Listen, Rose. I know you're lost and scared. But I want to help you. And Ringo does too. That's my Dragonite's name."

_Really?_ I heard a small whimper as I approached the bush she was hiding in. _You want to help me? You're not going to catch me?_

"Yes, really." I told her, "I don't want to catch you, I promise."

_Should I trust her? She can read my mind, so she must know how scared I am. She would have to be evil to attack me anyway._ I heard her think as she eased her way out of the bushes, clearly tensed to run if things got messy.

"It's okay," I told her, leaning down so that I could pet her. I scratched behind her ears and she melted. Suddenly she was leaning her head into my hand, thinking of where I should scratch next, loving how good it felt. "See? It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you."

_I guess I trust you not to hurt me..._ She thought, looking up into my eyes and asking, "Vul?" Which, in my head, translated to: _But do you really want to help me find my mommy?_

"Of course!" I said, "Do you remember where you last saw her?"

_Um.. well, we were just taking a walk through the forest. And she said she was going to the bathroom, and for me to wait and that she would only be a second. So I did but she took a long time so I went to look for her, and she was just gone. I couldn't find her anywhere. I'm really worried. And scared. _As she told me what happened, I saw a visual replay to go along with it. I watched the Ninetails elegantly dart into the bushes after ordering her daughter not to move. I saw in third person, Rose walking through the exact same bush as her mother and looking around frantically._  
_

"I know, I know." I soothed her with a hug, trying to keep the lump that formed in my throat from being audible in my voice. From the story she gave me, it didn't sound like we would find her mom. A mother wouldn't just abandon her child in the forest. Something must have happened to her. "We'll help you find her." I tried to promise, but it felt really hollow. It wasn't technically a lie; I did plan on helping her look. I didn't plan on finding anything.

_Thank you so much, _She thought.

"It will be much easier if Ringo helps us." I said, "Are you okay with being around him? I promise he won't hurt you. He's a very kind Pokemon. He saved my life, you know."

_He did? What happened?_ She asked, eyes widening with curiosity.

"I was out in a storm and the tree I was standing next to got struck by lightning. He pushed me out of the way and carried me to safety, all by himself. He waited with me until I woke up." I explained.

_Wow,_ she thought in awe, and I smiled at her. It was almost funny how much like a child she was. So easily amused, chastised, and emotional. I decided that if we couldn't find her mother, I would have to take her with us. I couldn't just leave her out here to fend for herself.

"Yup. He may be big, but he's got a big heart to go along with it. I promise he won't hurt you."

_Well, okay. I trust you. _She said, licking my hand in affection. I beamed, and she smiled back at me. I stood up and we began walking towards Ringo, who of course was still standing in the exact spot I told him to. He was absentmindedly drawing circles in the ground with his foot, wondering if Rose would trust me and come back. He looked up and smiled when he saw us walking towards him.

"Ringo, this is Rose." I introduced, and Ringo greeted her aloud. We immediately got to business, following her back to where she last saw her mom, and on the way her thoughts were still worried. We wandered through the forest all day and found nothing, except for a very unfriendly Pinsir whose home we stumbled upon in the search. It had made itself comfortable in a large hole at the base of a tree, and when it emerged it was clearly upset.

"Pinsirrrr," It growled, obviously a warning to stay away. Still, I heard the exact intentions behind it. _Get out of here, this is my home. I'm not afraid to attack._

"We're just passing by," I told it, and its face wore an expression of shock.

_How did you know what I was saying, you stupid human?_ It asked_._

"I don't know," I answered, "But we don't want any trouble."

_Well, I do!_ It yelled, _I can't let you run around intruding in the minds of my fellow Pokemon! Look how you've already brainwashed these two weak-minded creatures!_

I didn't even have to look at Ringo for him to know it was time to help. _I've got this, Mel._ He thought, taking a few steps forward and taking an offensive stance. Rose dashed behind my legs and her thoughts were the loudest in my mind. _Oh no, not a fight. Anything but that. I'm the weakest target. If he gets past Ringo, it's all over for me! _She was shouting.

I chuckled nervously. Clearly, she did not know the power of a Dragonite. But then again I'd never been in a Pokemon battle once in my entire life, so I had no idea how to do this. I was sure that if we were in danger Ringo would take charge, but I wanted to have a part in it too. I took a deep breath and hoped I didn't do too horribly.

_You think I'm scared of your Dragonite just because he's big? _The Pinsir challenged, once again shouting his species name.

"Okay Ringo," I said, mentally sifting through the attacks I used to hear my dad shout when training, and the type advantages he used to try and teach me. I knew that fire was good against bug, but I didn't think Dragonite knew any fire attacks, and it was evident that Rose didn't know how to battle either.

"One of the reasons Dragonite is so good in battle is because it can learn a variety of attacks, so it has an advantage against most Pokemon," My dad's voice echoed in my head, "For example, if it's up against a water Pokemon, that's good because it knows Thunder. If it's against a fire type, it has the upper hand with a move like Surf or Water Pulse. And since it's partly flying, it also has an advantage with bug and grass Pokemon as long as it uses..."

"Use your wing attack!" I shouted, characteristically pointing in the direction of the enraged Pinsir as I remembered the last part of my father's instructions. I knew at once I'd made the right decision, because Ringo barely had to do anything. He lifted himself off the ground, about a foot higher than the Pinsir and flapped his wings furiously, easily blowing the bug Pokemon back into its hole. I jumped up and clapped my hands, excited that I was able to direct Ringo correctly and that we had won.

But the Pokemon emerged from his home still. _It's gonna take more than that to stop me,_ It thought, charging in Ringo's direction and jumping in the air to reach him with its deadly horns.

"Ringo, doge it! Quick!" Thankfully he was able to move out of the way just a fraction of a second before the Pinsir landed its attack, causing it to collide with a tree. It slid down the bark and landed face first on the forest floor. Again, I thought it was over, but then I heard its frustrated thoughts.

_Stupid trainer, stupid Pokemon, stupid everything!_ It got up, shook itself off, and charged towards me and Rose this time. As I saw the blind fury in its mind, I froze. I couldn't remember any other Dragonite attacks, and even if I could I couldn't find my voice to tell Ringo what to do. It was coming right for us, and it would easily crush both of our bodies between its horns.

I hadn't been paying attention to her thoughts so I never saw it coming, but Rose pushed herself between my legs, knocking me over as she took an offensive pose in front of me. _Oh no you don't!_ She thought, spewing a giant cloud of fire out from her mouth and hitting the Pinsir dead on. When the fire disappeared, the Pokemon laid on its back, clearly unconscious this time as I heard nothing coming from its head.

For a moment we were all silent, basking in the glow of victory. Rose was the one to break the silence. She jumped up and down excitedly, cheering her species name aloud and her thoughts were exuberant in my head. _I did it!_ She cheered, I_ really did it! I've never fought a Pokemon before but I did it!_

_You did great! _Ringo cheered out loud with her as he landed, laughing as he watched her jumps morph into back flips._  
_

Again I had been saved by a Pokemon. This time by the one I'd never expected was capable of anything. I'll admit, once I'd heard how scared she was before, I thought even I'd have fared better against a Pinsir with anger management issues. I shook off my surprise at the unexpected moment of triumph, stood up and brushed myself off. Rose launched herself into my arms, nearly knocking me over again.

_Now I saved your life, too._ She smiled, licking my cheek.

"Yeah, you sure did." I chuckled, "I'll be honest, I didn't know you had it in you."

_Neither did I,_ she laughed with me. _Now we're even,_ she unintentionally tacked on, referring to when Ringo and I had both saved her from loneliness and terror earlier today.

"You did great too, Ringo. Nice teamwork you guys." I congratulated them, setting Rose back on the ground and leading them both back in the direction we'd come from. When we'd exited the forest, thankfully without any more trouble, Rose had the thought I'd been waiting for. It wasn't that I'd wanted her to think it, just that I knew it was only a matter of time before it occurred to her.

_We're not going to find my mommy, _She realized, feeling bittersweet as she still rode the high from her first victory.

"I don't think so, honey. Not today." I told her, looking down into her big, sad eyes.

_But it's kind of okay. _She thought while also speaking aloud, _My mom's strong. I know wherever she is, she's alive and fighting. And I have you guys, so at least I'm not totally alone. We'll have fun together. I can battle more. Maybe you can even help me evolve and look just like my mommy!_

I laughed, loving the way she just asserted herself into our travels without a second thought. Ringo laughed too, no doubt at the same thing.

And as we continued to walk, eventually Pewter City came into view, illuminated by all the lights from the buildings amongst the oranges and purples of a beautiful sunset.

_I'm tired,_ Rose thought, yawning as if to further illustrate her point.

_Me too,_ Ringo added.

"It's been a long day." I nodded, as we entered the city and headed straight for the Pokemon center. Tomorrow we would fight the gym leader, and there was no doubt in my mind that after a good long rest, we'd be unstoppable.

----

**AN:** Yay, I loved writing this story. Reviews appreciated.


	3. Melanie vs Brock

**AN:** Sorry this took so long! I got busy with the end of the school year and blah blah blah and basically, I just haven't gotten the chance to sit down and write for quite a while. Anyway, I haven't forgotten this story and I'm back to finish it!

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**Chapter Three: Melanie vs. Brock**

Ringo and I stood in front of the Pewter City gym, just staring up at the sign. When we arrived here last night, the first thing we did was stop at a Pokemon center. We'd tried to leave after Nurse Joy healed both Ringo and Rose, but she insisted on us sleeping there. We did, and left first thing this morning.

_Are we gonna go in?_ Ringo asked, shifting his attention from the sign to my face.

"Yeah." I said,taking a deep breath, turning my invisible hat forward, and marching through the double doors. I heard Ringo laughing as he followed me in, passing a young boy concentrating on his shoes as he hurried out. Judging by the look on his face, he just lost.

"Oh? Another challenger?" A deep, raspy voice called from across the building. "I'm Brock, the Pewter City gym leader. But I'm sure you knew that." I looked over to see a man standing with his arms crossed, smirking. His dark hair was spiked out in all directions, contrasting well against his tanned skin. His eyes were squinted, though the fluorescent lights in the room were not unbearable. He stood confidently in his rectangle of the battlefield, a lumpy space interrupted by rocks of all sizes. "Well, get in position rookie, I haven't got all day!" He commanded, and I obeyed for some reason, straightening up and running to my spot.

I felt the Pokeball in my bag wiggle, and before anything could be done about it, a red color splotch appeared in front of me, morphed into a Vulpix shape, and suddenly Rose was in its place. _I've come to win this battle! _She announced in her mind, following it up with a vocal-and quite enthusiastic, "Vul!"

"No, Rose. He's fine. Stay out of this." I told her, but I could hear her mind loud and clear, and she wasn't listening to me.

_I want to help,_ She thought.

"You can't. He battles with rock Pokemon. You don't stand a chance." Brock was staring at me with one eyebrow raised, as if I was doing something that confused him. I realized with a shock that he could not hear Rose's thoughts, and to him it looked like I was talking to myself. In that same instant, I decided I didn't care. I was just worried about my Pokemon. She did well in the forest, but this was different. This was a gym, and besides the fact that she was at a type disadvantage, his Pokemon had had training.

_Nobody thought I could beat that Pinsir either,_ She was thinking, as she replayed her hero moment for me, _But I did it. And I can do this. Just watch, I'll show you._

"Rose, don't!" I said, reaching out for her as she dashed onto the battle field.

_I can do this!_ She thought confidently as she stood in the middle of the field, mentally yelling at Brock to release his first Pokemon. She let out a battle cry that sounded more like a cry for help. The confused gym leader's expression faltered; he laughed.

"Sorry sweetie, you're cute and all but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to crush your little Vulpix." He chuckled, thrusting his pokeball in our direction, "Go! Onix!"

As the Pokemon's body snaked out of it's ball in an unstructured red aura, I started to fear for Rose's life. I'd never seen one in person before, and it was massive-easily towering over my tiny Vulpix by a good 20 feet. It stretched its long, bolder-composed, body and let out a loud roar, causing the building to shake and make everyone wiggle slightly where they stood. The Onix looked down at Rose and I could hear the mental smugness its thoughts radiated. _Piece of cake,_ It laughed._  
_

_I can do this, I can do this, I can... _Rose's thoughts trailed off as she looked up and got the full effect of just how large and intimidating Brock's Onix was. I watched from her perspective as her vision blurred and her eyes rolled back in her head. Suddenly everything went black, and she fell down on her side, body limp. Her brain was silent.

As if in sync with her thoughts, the room stayed quiet for a few seconds. Then both Brock and his Onix busted out in laughter.

I closed my eyes and smacked myself on the forehead. I felt a mix of relief and embarrassment. Relief because at least she hadn't actually gotten to the battling, because that Onix would've smacked her around like a hackey sack. Embarrassment because well, she had fainted at just the sight of it. She would be okay after some rest, and that's probably the reason my embarrassment won out at the moment.

_At least she didn't get hurt,_ Ringo thought. Although he was tryng his best to make me feel better, I could also hear an amused undertone to his voice that he was failing at trying to hide.

I dug around for Rose's Pokeball and called her back, sighing.

Brock was laughing at me. Onix was laughing at me. Ringo was trying not to laugh at me. If I felt like I wanted to be swallowed by the Earth right now, I could only imagine what Rose would feel like when she woke up and realized what had happened. I felt overwhelmingly sympathetic towards her. I made a mental note to train with her later, not only to help rebuilt her confidence, but to strengthen her so this didn't happen again.

"Ringo," I said through gritted teeth. I knew I could easily redeem myself with his help. He floated forward, his thoughts shifting to focus and determination. The ground shook when he landed, placing his feet in a sturdy stance. His arms tensed at his side, his eyes met with Onix's and the atmosphere quickly changed. I listened to their pre-battle banter.

_Oh good, an actual challenge._ Onix mentally smirked.

_Good luck... you'll need it._ Ringo's smirk was visible.

I could feel the adrenaline pulsing through my veins as I realized how close I was to my first ever gym badge. My eyes met Brock's and we gave each other a nod, indicating that we were both over my blunder and ready to battle.

"Onix! Use dig!" He shouted, and by how fast his Pokemon reacted, I could tell this was a perfectly choreographed routine. Onix expected him to say that, knew the attacks he would be using against my flying Pokemon. They'd done this hundreds of times before, whereas this was my first official battle.

"Ringo! Fly!" I shouted, and he obeyed, lifting his massive body off the ground with remarkable speed. He was way above our heads, all the way at the top of the building, as high as he could go. He looked down to the ground, waiting for Onix to make his move. I was listening to the rock Pokemon's thoughts, admittedly cheating a little in the eyes of many. But hey, it wasn't like I could turn off my powers. And thanks to them I knew exactly where Onix was coming up and was able to yell for Ringo to move right before it burst through the ground and into the air. Of course, it didn't even come close to touching my beloved Dragonite.

"Use Aqua Tail!" I commanded, and Ringo smiled, producing a veil of raging water to conceal his tail. He swooped down toward Brock's Onix, turned around, and his tail hit with so much force that Onix went crashing to the ground. I had to dive out of the way to avoid being hit by its massive falling body, and I ended up landing on my stomach and face planting into the dirt. Ringo was at my side before I even hit the ground, asking if I was okay.

"I'm fine." I mumbled, sitting up and wiping some of the dust and slobber off of my face. I really was alright; I was sore in a few places, but I didn't have any serious injuries. Ringo lifted me bridal style in his arms and quickly set me back down on my feet.

I concentrated on Onix's mind, and could instantly tell by it's idleness that it was definitely down for the count. I shifted my eyes to Brock just in time to witness his face freeze in utter shock.

"One hit..." He stared in awe. "No one's ever taken down my Onix that easily..."

I simply smiled in response; a smile that, when paired with the burning challenge in my eyes, was not friendly. And I could see that Brock wasn't giving up. He withdrew his Onix and frantically dug around for another Pokeball.

"Geodude! Your turn!"

This time I almost laughed. Ringo was more powerful than I'd initially suspected. If he could destroy that Onix with just one attack, Geodude didn't stand a chance. I felt invincible, and my Pokemon's thoughts let me know that he was riding the same high.

_I haven't battled in so long,_ He thought towards me, gratitude coating his tone. _It feels great! _The Pinsir in the woods had only been self-defense, and I knew he could tell the difference. This time he wasn't protecting or saving anyone; this was recreation for him._  
_

"Earthquake!" Brock shouted. His Geodude flew up in the air and fell to the ground at an incredible speed, but he was still too slow for Ringo. While Geodude's strength caused the floor to shake, Ringo was safely flying above the ground, effectively dodging each falling boulder. He was untouchable.

_This is too easy, _Ringo's thoughts projected into my head, and I couldn't help but agree.

"Wing Attack!" I commanded, deciding that maybe if the move wasn't chosen by type advantage, it would do less damage and the battle would last longer. But Ringo flapped his wings vigorously, easily sweeping Geodude off the ground and into the wall behind it. It didn't move, and its mind went silent. I knew we'd won before Brock was willing to admit it.

"Geodude!" He yelled, command coating his tone. Clearly he was wanting it to get up and fight, but it was in no such condition. When he realized this, he let out a deep sigh and called it back.

"Huh. Guess you beat me." He admitted, squinting in my direction. Ringo floated back to my side, and we both locked eyes with the gym leader in complete silence for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Brock busted out in laughter. Ringo and I exchanged a curious glance as he crossed the battlefield. When he stood in front of me, I could see that he towered a good two feet over my head. He reached down for my hand, and his were rough against mine. He put something in my palm and close my fingers around it.

"Guess you're not such a rookie after all." He said, turning his back and walking to a door in the corner of the gym. "Train that Vulpix of yours and you'll go far, kid." He laughed one more time before entering the room and shutting the door behind him.

I opened my hand and stared at what he put there. The Boulderbadge sat face up in my palm, shiny and contrasting against my milky skin. A big grin spread across my face, and I looked up at Ringo. There was a smile in his eyes, too.

"My first badge!" I cheered, jumping into his arms. They wrapped around me and he spun me around in a circle, cheering with me.

_Congratulations! You did it!_ He smiled when he put me down again and we began walking towards the exit.

"_We_ did it." I corrected, looking up and smiling at him.

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**AN:** Sorry this one was so short. It gets better, I promise. In fact, I'll give you a tiny spoiler. Since I'm a hopeless romantic and absolutely cannot keep any interest in a story unless there's some kind of romance, in the next chapter Melanie meets a boy. :D

Reviews appreciated. (:


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